Potato harvester



Nov. 29, l19:27.

C'. JASPERSON POTATO HARVESTER Filed Nov. 14. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,753

c. JAsPERsoN Y POTATO HARVESTER Filed Nov. 14, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 50a, am 6 am Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,753

C. JASPERSON POTATQ HARVESTER Filed Ndv. 14, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 igeaogroe sprockets 50 which are carried by the hubs GOD pivotally mountedy at the outer 4sides of the frame lil'v on the shaft- (il. which constitutes the driving shaft for the cleaning, sorting, and bagging apparat-us mounted Within the bei; frame lili. The shaft (il is journalledf in a pair ofi` shifter arms GQ, secured tothe Working ends of shifting lever 63 vvh'ieh arefrijgidly `secured to shaft 63 journail'ed in the sides of frame lli. The shraft 6l is also journalled adjacent `each end ina pair of blocks -slidable in aligned slots'til in the sides offbox frame le. The shaft (Sli obviously may be moved longitudif nallv oithev frame 1d by the manipulation of shifting levers G3. The hulos h also earry'a pair of sprockets 66 which are adaptedfto mesh with driving pinions 67 keyed to the driving shaft 4:3 for the conveyor .39. 'l'lieshaft i3 at its outer ends carries sinall pinions; (57' keyed thereto Whiehare connectedhy endless chains 67h to a'pair of pinions Sila keyed to the` outer ende of the shaft 6l on1 the outer side of the hubs Stil. Thus it Willi be seeny that the huhs 60? will. be constantly driven from the hack wheels 1:7 and will' rotate about ythe shaft. 6i, and that when the shifting levers are pulled back- Wardlly pinions 66 and: 67 will be engaged thereby driving the shaft 43, which in turn drives: the shaft 6l.y which is connected to drive the cleaning, sorting, and bagging apparatus.` The driving potver may thus be eonneeted or diseonneeted vfrom the Working partsv of the harvester by the manipulation ofii shiftingv levers 64. `'llhelevers 63`have outwardly hinged spring pressed upperportionsadapted to enfgagecsniall stop` blocks 68 or the sides of; the frame' lili; Pinions G6 and G7, by means. of the hinged shifting levers 63 y may be quickly engaged and automatically locked mesh by the stop blocks V68 when thelfevei-s (153 are grasped' andpulled"haelt- A steering slliazft is provided.` suitably journaled in bearings scoured to transverse beams extending across the tops otframe hars 13. The usual steering Wheel 7 O is rigidly seeuredto the rear end of shaft 69 direetly in front of the'drivers seat 23, anda beveled gear 71 is keyed to the front end of driving shaft. 69 engaging a pair of aligned beveled gears 7 2, disposed at each side thereof and secured. to the ends of `a pair of longitudinally aligned Shafts 73, extending at right angles to said driving shaft 69, The short shafts 7 3 are journaled in bearings 743i adjacent their ends, and carry the beveled gears 75 on their outer ends. `The upper ends of pintles 21 ,on the Wheel-holding-` forks 2() are supplied with beveled gears 76 engaging the last named beveled gears 75 at the outer ends of shafts 78. VIt will thus he seen that, Whenshaftt) is turned by the steering Wheel 7 O, the small shafts 7 3 will be fthe spaties between. the nods spaces cleared from dira-vines or rocks. rEhe ground, when so desired.

turned in opposite directions, in turn, revolving` they pintles 211m the same dir-eetion, and thus properlyT steering the device.

Operativa;

reaching down at his sides and pullingJ back the shifting 'levers o3 to engagelthe'pinaons 6G' and 67. The diggerblade may then be lowered, as desir-ed` by pulling the operating handleBS and adjusting the levers. The potatoes WillheA scooped' up dug: by means of the blade 27,'thecut-ting dislrsQQ having out into theground, at eaeh'sidei of and just ah'ad of the diggerblf'ade 27.7 The blade. therefore, is materially assisted: by the di slrsl 2Q in t igging the ground in `which the potatoes." are found. The coneave shaped `edge on hlade 27 permits the blade to out a wider' `swath in. "the ground Hand tends. to draw the scooped up: dirt towards thereuter thereof. "lhe roller 54 receives the potatoes 'from the' blade and* tossesv'them over onto the lower ene of the endless conveyor' 39', auchan so doing, shakes out much of the 'dirt and small stones. On the Conveyor., the potatoes: are drawn along rods 4K9' and 5th the loose dirt, remainingsmallf stones and part. ofthe. vines being permitted to drop through the spaeed rods.` ontotlee ground. `The dependingV lingers 53ml the slats 4 8 rake and keep these potatoes are delivered overy the upper end of @conveyor '18 onto the conveyor .ort the sorting apparatus, indicated bythe numeral 77. Where tlieyai e freed from any rem-aini ng'vines or dirt, sorted into sizes and ha by an operator standingl onl the platform 14a. y The operation of the cleaner,` sorter and bagger, apparatus is described and illustrated in the applieant7s pending application. hitherto `referred to.

The differential apparatus mits the harvester tobe turned or swung 0r backed without danger of stripping any of the gears of the Working parts or twisting any of the shafts` although the driving poiver is connected to the working parteh The swinging frame, controlled by the Winches, permitthe angle ofthe blade/to he quickly and easily adjusted, andperrmtitV to be'elevated Well'out of Contact with the vers and pedals for raising the digger blade described per-` seed i The control le Y permit the operator to adjust the blade with his feet while driving or operating the shifting levers 63, Y

The means for shifting the driving gears in and out of mesh provide a simple and efficient transmission mechanism conveniently located for the manipulation of the driver.

The construction of the, frame. mounting ,of the front lwheels and steering control therefonare simple. efficient and durable.

From the above description, it is seen that the applicant has provided a simple and etlicient device for digging the potatoes from the ground. separating the vines, stones and dirt therefrom, and then sorting and discharging the potatoes into bags. all ot the `working parts being driven from the rear wheels of the device. and all of these operavtions are continuously performed when the harvester is pulled over the ground.

Itwill, of course; be understoodthat various changes may be made in the form. de-

tails','arrangement'` and proportions of the Vparts Without departing from the scope ot anieans for driving said movable shaft from the back` wheels, and aineans for moving said `movable shaft to connect or disconnect the driving power with said endless conveyor'. i f y 2. In a potato harvester, thecombination of a main wheeled frame, a digger frame pivotedthereto for vertical swinging movement longitudinally thereof, al digger blade at thel free end of said swingable frame, a series of spaced rods rigidly disposed longitudinally of said swingable trame, and terminating at the upper end thereof, a series of similarly spaced rods rigidly disposed on said main frame and longitudinallyy alined with said first mentioned rods to form a substantially continuous carrier surface, and an endless conveyor having its upper end mounted on said main frame, and its lower 'end mounted across said digger frame to receive from said blade.y and a plurality of depending means on said conveyor' adapted to project between and rake said rods.

3. In a potato harvester, the combination or" a main wheeled f aune, a swingable frame pivoted thereto for swinging movement on horizontal axis. potato digging means on the f'ree cud of said swingable frame, axially and horizontally alined sprockets adjacent the free end of said swingable frame, axially and horizontally alined driving sprockets mounted on said mainframe, axially alined idler sprockets concentrically mountedwith the pivot for said swingable frame, and an endless conveyor trained over said several sets of sprockets and adapted'to receive from said digging means.

4. In a potato harvester, a frame supported at its rear end by wheels, wheel mountiugs swivelly connected to the forward end of said frame and adapted to be swung on substantially vertical axes, means for connecting said mountings to oscillate in unison, a front wheel journaled to each of said inountings, each of said wheels having a circular cuttingv edge disposed substantially in a vertical plane, said cutting edges in co-operation adapted to cut the ground at both sides of said frame, and a substantially fiat digger scoop disposed behind and between said cutting edges having a width substantially equal to the distance between said cutting edges. said digger blade having upturned sides whereby the soil cut by said eircular edges will be scooped up.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatul'e.

CHARLIE JASPERSON.

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